


A Little Rory Goes a Long Way

by kai_in_the_sky



Category: Wentworth (TV)
Genre: F/F, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Nonbinary Character, Other, Queer Youth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-05
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:33:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28559874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kai_in_the_sky/pseuds/kai_in_the_sky
Summary: Ever wonder what it’d be like having Bea Smith and Allie Novak as parents? This is the story of Rory, an outcasted queer teen, crossing paths with the Novak-Smiths.
Relationships: Allie Novak/Bea Smith, Franky Doyle/Bridget Westfall
Comments: 34
Kudos: 27





	1. Where One Door Closes, Another Opens

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I've heard concerns about preserving other author's ideas so I decided to rework this to maintain my originality. I am new to this community, but can see it is full of talented writers and invested commenters and I’m looking forward to being a part of that! Hope you enjoy :)

“Thanks for your-”

*Slam*. Another door shut to their face.

“Time” Rory sighed. They’d been knocking on people’s doors all day asking if they needed any help around the house or yard. Oftentimes people wouldn't even give them two minutes of their time, but they had managed some yard work for an elderly couple earlier that day, earning themself fifteen dollars and some homemade cookies. Heading down the driveway and back downhill in the direction of the youth shelter, they decided to finish seeking work for the day, instead keen on taking a hot shower. Their knuckles were beginning to get sore from all the knocking as well as their shoulders from carrying their backpack around for hours. The constant rejection wasn’t helping their motivation either. Turning their attention to the scenery, Rory admired the sunset behind the distant skyline. No matter how much time spent gazing at the view, they could never get tired of Melbourne. The city always fills them with such joy and excitement. The streets are always bustling with life: cars, trains, and of course the people. Rory always enjoys finding new, vivid street art and cozying up in the endless amounts of coffee shops. If you were to search for the end of the city, you might be met with the fresh, vast stretch of ocean. Though oddly enough, their favorite part about Melbourne has to be the way it looks from afar. To Rory, looking out at the skyline is like looking at the possibilities of the future: far, yet closer than what it appears to be. It makes them feel safer within their small pocket of the world knowing that there is bound to be some good in their future. And walking downtown between the tall buildings that make up the skyline from the distance always reminds them that there is so much good and possibility all around them if they look hard enough, and to appreciate where the past has brought them so far. Even if their past has led to the shelter Rory currently lives at, they are proud of how far they’ve come in the past few months. All that they have now, though arguably very little, is heaven compared to their life before the shelter.

Loud, blaring sirens along with the faint scent of smoke interrupts their thoughts. Rory watched the firetruck descend down the road, turning onto the same street they’re headed towards. Knowing the fire must be close, they tried to dismiss all thoughts of worry and reassured themself that the shelter is perfectly unharmed. Quickening their pace as the smoke grew thicker nearing their street, they eventually turned the corner. Rory froze, instantly hit with a sharp twang of worry. In the distance, the top of the shelter was in flames as firefighters hosed down the building. Rory’s mind went back to their belongings: their few pieces of clothes, one spare pair of shoes, the money they had been saving up for weeks and hidden in their room. They take off running. Dodging the grips of civilians and firefighters, they quickly approach the heat, determined to salvage the remnants of their life. With every new flame, all their hard work diminished to ashes. The smoke produced from the flames a reminder of their plummeting achievements- threatening to go towards, yet too painful to ignore. The clouded scent would go away, but the damage to the building, their life, would stay a while after.

Bea turned just in time to see what could possibly be stealing everyone’s attention away from the flame-engulfed building.

“Hey! Kid stop” she heard Franky, her coworker, yell as she failed to catch the small and swift figure heading towards the shelter’s entrance. Registering the new issue at hand, Bea sprinted towards them, managing to grasp the kid’s backpack. But in a split second the figure slipped off the backpack and was getting closer to the door. Dropping the bag, Bea raced in the same direction, using every ounce of energy she had to catch up to them.

Just as they reached for the door, Rory felt arms wrap around their waist as their feet lifted off the ground. Letting out a cry, they kicked and clawed at the force holding them back. Whatever the force, it was too strong- they couldn't find a way out of its grip. Realizing they were moving further away from the closed door, Rory tried to fight harder, but still no luck. Feeling their feet touch the ground moments later, they think they’ve won. But when they tried to make a break for the shelter again, the force was back restraining them, this time gripping their arm and shoulder. Looking up, Rory saw a woman in firefighter gear. She was trying to tell them something, but in the midst of the chaos they had tuned everything out, their sole focus on saving the items that made up their life. Trying harder to focus on her, Rory finally processed some of the woman’s words.

“You can’t go in there, it’s not safe” Bea said, studying the young person before her. They had mahogany brown skin, a curly, black afro, and eyes so dark she almost thought they were black before catching the brown orbs in light reflected off the flames. They were wearing a black and blue tie-dye sweater with jeans and what looked like rather old sneakers. She was at a loss of what to do with this kid, but knew she had to keep them away from the burning building.

“My...my stuff.. my life is in there” they manage to choke out. “I have to go get it” They tried to move out of the firefighter’s grip. Bea didn’t let up though, her hands holding Rory firmly in place.

“I’m sorry. It’s just too dangerous. We can’t have you getting hurt” Bea felt awful as she watched the kid before her break, tears streaming from their eyes as they finally stopped fighting her off. The hardest part of the job were times like these, holding people back as they lost everything. But she’ll do anything to make it even just the slightest bit better for them. “Hey, how about this: once we know the flames are put out and everyone is accounted for, I may be able to send someone from my crew to check for your belongings. How’s that sound?” The kid wiped tears away before nodding somberly. Looking around, Bea spotted an empty bench across the street and walked them both over. “If I let go, you have to promise you won’t make a break for it. I know I look old, but I’m faster than you think” trying to lighten the mood just a little. Rory looked up at Bea quickly before averting their eyes, nodding. Bea released her hold as the pair took a seat before a woman hastily approached them.

“Hey! Are you okay?” The olive skinned woman pulled Rory into a hug. She wasn’t much taller than them.

“Yeah I’m alright.” Rory’s voice was hoarse, and the woman could tell they were upset. She was a social worker and employee of the youth shelter and had been worrying over their whereabouts for the past hour. The woman took a step back to look Rory over, making sure they weren’t physically hurt before turning to the firefighter now standing next to her.

“Bea! It’s good to see you, although it’s in such unfortunate circumstances. Thanks so much for going after them, I don’t know what they were thinking.”

“Hey, just doing my job” Bea replied, giving Gina a quick pat on the arm. “We made a deal that I’d see if there’s anything we can save in there” she nodded towards the shelter. “Do you mind staying here while I return to the scene? The sooner we get this thing under control, the faster we can take a look inside.”

“Of course, we’ll be right here” she gestured to the bench. Bea nodded and headed off in the direction of the fire. Deciding not to press Rory just yet, they sat in silence, Gina keeping a close eye on Rory as they watched the fire. She could understand why Rory might’ve risked their life running to the fire. Most kids at the shelter had very little belongings, but they all really cared for what they had. The firefighters worked on across the street, eventually getting the flames under control. The shelter wasn’t looking so good from where the two were sitting. Clouds of smoke hung over the top of the building, but luckily their distance from the structure protected them from the clouds, only causing slight discomfort in their lungs. It was a miracle the flames hadn’t spread to any of the neighboring buildings.

A short while later, the flames had been put out and Bea had taken someone in with her to carefully look for anything salvageable. At one point the whole building had been engulfed in flames and now most of the structure looked black as coal. So it was a shock to no one when both Bea and a member of her crew showed up empty handed, save for the backpack they’d dropped earlier while trying to run into the place. Rory fought off the urge to cry all over again, instead standing up, thanking the firefighters and Gina for their help and apologizing for any inconveniences they caused. They knew the firefighters probably couldn’t save anything, but a sliver of them hoped maybe they didn’t lose almost all of their savings. As they picked up their backpack to leave, Gina stepped in front of them, gently blocking their path. “Woah there, I’m not just gonna let you go off on your own, especially after trying to run into a fire. Do you have someplace to go” concern evident in her voice.

As it turned out, the rest of the kids living at the shelter had already been sent to a different shelter or foster home by the time Rory arrived. As Rory had been the only one unaccounted for, Gini stuck around hoping they’d show up. She had grown fond of the teen in the short period of time they’d known each other. Rory was a tough kid, quietly witty, and fierce. When Gigi explained how they were practically begging people to take in the other teens, Rory shrugged, “I guess I’ll find another shelter or something. I’ll be fine.” They really just wanted to be anywhere else but here, feeling both grief-stricken and a little embarrassed about the previous events. They needed a place to try and process, or even distract themself from what had just happened.

The firefighter who had now taken off her helmet to reveal deep, red curls appeared next to Gina. “Hey, I never caught your name. I’m Bea and this is Franky” the redhead said, offering a smile as she introduced the brunette, her crewmate.

They cleared their throat quietly, having still been rough from crying, before speaking, “Rory.”

Bea looked around, “It’s dark out, Rory”. The sun had completely set a while ago, making way for almost pitch darkness, save for the city lights. “I don’t feel comfortable letting you wander around the city at this time of night.” It was only half past seven, but the sun started to set early this time of year.

“Do you have someone we can drop you off with” Franky chimed in. Rory looked out into the distance as they shook their head no.

Bea and Gina exchanged a knowing glance as she spoke up, “I guess you’re coming home with me then.” Rory looked up at the redhead, shocked. They shook their head again, clearly about to protest when Bea continued to speak, “There’s no point in trying to argue, we’re not going anywhere until we know you’re safe.” Rory still wasn't entirely convinced. “Look, you’ve had a rough day” Bea said in a softer tone “and I couldn’t help you as much as I wanted to. We could go look around for another shelter, but as far as I know, this was the only youth shelter nearby, and the best one at that.”

Gina nodded her head in agreement. “You lost a lot today Rory, and I’d feel better knowing you were somewhere safe and reliable. And if it’s Bea you’re worried about, she’s been a licensed foster parent for years. Her and her partner have come to the shelter’s rescue on numerous occasions when our beds were full. They’re old friends of mine.”

“And she’s a damn good reliable person. Our whole crew can vouch for that.” Franky added.

“Thanks Franky” Bea said before shifting her attention back to Rory, “If not for yourself, then let me make it up to you for not being able to save anything from the fire, okay?”

Rory thought for a moment. After losing their savings since leaving home, they felt more hopeless than ever. Almost five hundred dollars, gone. Sure, they still had their backpack, but its contents left them with thirty dollars, a jacket, and a water bottle to their name. Rory lost what they worked so long and tirelessly to get, oftentimes skipping meals while sleeping on the streets in order to save towards their future. Maybe they couldn’t have done much with the money yet, but one day it all would've gone towards buying themself a place of their own. Without their hard earned money, they felt worthless. Honestly, even if the two firefighters somehow turned out to be kidnappers, what did they have to lose? But there was something that seemed so genuine about the two firefighters. They’d stuck around after the rest of their crew left just to help find their belongings, although they both had to know there’d be nothing salvageable. No one, especially strangers, had ever shown them this much kindness, save for Gina. They seemed worth trusting, and the tenderness in Bea and Franky’s voices surprisingly comforted Rory. Plus, if Gina vouched for the redheaded firefighter, then they didn’t have much of a reason to doubt her. Deciding to take a chance and trust their gut, Rory nodded. “Okay.”

Franky and Bea smiled as they all headed towards the station car, Bea getting into the drivers side. “We just need to pick up our things from the station and then we can head home.” Gina and Bea had already sorted most of the details, and Gina, now officially Rory’s case worker, would be stopping by the following day to check in.

“Tell me about yourself, kiddo” Franky said, glancing at Rory as they all buckled in.

“Franky. You can’t go overwhelming people you’ve just met.”

“I’m just asking a question, Red. Don’t mind her, she’s a bit of a buzzkill sometimes” Franky joked, earning herself a swat on the arm from Bea. Glancing at Rory, she sees they’ve cracked a smile. “Aye, knew I could get a smile out of ya” she said as Rory’s timid smile grew a little bigger before disappearing again. She had seen the despair in the kid’s expression and, despite their best effort to hide it, had noticed them trying to fight back tears when they couldn’t save anything from the fire. She was determined to get their mind off of it for a little while. “Okay so…” Franky stopped to think, “age, pronouns, and favorite ice cream flavor. I’ll go first. thirty-six, she/her, double chocolate. Gonna popcorn to Rory.”

Rory thought about their answer for a second. “sixteen, they/them” pausing briefly to watch the adults’ reactions to their pronouns, Rory continued when they saw not even a glint of surprise, “cookies and cream. Popcorn to Bea.”

“Mm cookies and cream, good choice. Let’s see…classified, she/her, mint chocolate chip” as she watched the road. “Oh come on Red, don’t be shy. She’s forty-” Franky was interrupted by another swat from Bea. She turned to look at Rory and made her voice lower, but still loud enough for Bea to hear. “Do you see what I have to deal with” grinning when she saw Rory smile a little wider than the last, a small chuckle escaping their lips.

“I guess you can just stay in the car so you won’t have to deal with me here then” Bea said. Franky and Rory’s moods visibly lifted as Bea pulled up to an ice cream shop.

“Ah hell, would your wife be pleased to know about your bully tactics Mrs. Novak?” Franky nudged her friend's shoulder.

“That’s Mrs. Novak-Smith” Bea corrected, turning off the engine “and would your wife be keen on hearing about your teasing Mrs. Doyle-Westfall?”

“You’re lesbians?” Rory perked up, taking both women by surprise. “Sorry I didn’t mean it in a bad way. Just curious. Sorry, I...” They looked away sheepishly searching for words, nervous the question was too personal. Their mouth had started running before their mind had a chance to filter their thoughts. Much to their surprise, both women laughed a few seconds later.

“Hey, no need to apologize Rory” Bea reassured. “That gave us a good laugh anyway.”

“Mhm, and we’re both married to women, yeah. This one doesn’t prefer labels” Franky said, gesturing to Bea. Suddenly Rory felt even more relaxed in the company of fellow queer people. It made more sense as to why they didn’t have a negative reaction towards their pronouns, and it was comforting knowing that they didn’t have to hide parts of their identity around them. They refused to hide more parts of themself for the sake of adults again.

“Yep. Now let’s get going before all the ice cream melts” Bea responded, shooting her wife a quick text before joining Franky and Rory.

**“We have a guest for the night... kid needed someplace to stay. I’ll explain everything later. Be home soon. xx”**

Bea wasn’t worried about Allie’s reaction as they’d had plenty of short-notice foster placements in the past. She was more worried about making sure Rory stayed put for the night. While she had held them back from the building earlier that day, it took a lot more strength than she was expecting. This kid couldn't have been taller than 5’3”, but they were strong, and fast as a whip. She wondered what this kid must've gone through in order to gain this physical strength. Her mind roamed back to earlier as she restrained Rory and her heart broke a little more at how upset they had been. There must’ve been something really valuable in there for them to have sprinted towards flames. Bea just wished she could make up in some way for what they’d lost, but she would do everything she could to make them feel at home and would try to see if there was anything she could replace from the fire.

“Toppings?” the ice cream server asked looking at Rory.

“Oh, uh” their eyes flickered up between Bea and Franky before going back to the server. They were just about to decline when Bea spoke up.

“Get whatever you’d like” she smiled reassuringly.

“Yeah kiddo, Red’s treating us all tonight” Franky said as she nudged Bea. Rory hesitated, “thank you” before ordering caramel drizzle on top of their cookies and cream.

The three of them sat down once Bea finished paying. “How are you still so messy with chocolate after being alive for thirty-six years?” Bea was amused at the chocolate remnants around her friend’s lips and the ice cream dripping from the cone down to her fingers. Franky didn’t miss a beat though, replying with one of her witty remarks. Bea and Franky kept up the playful banter, including Rory in the dialogue in a bid to keep their mind off the difficult day’s events.

Rory knew what the pair were doing as they joked around, but it didn’t make their grin any less genuine. They felt quite happy for the distraction, it felt so good not to be worrying about life for a while. Plus they hadn’t had ice cream in what felt like ages, and had forgotten how much they enjoyed it. The two women really knew how to make them laugh, and Rory felt themself become less tense as they joined in on the conversation.

Soon they were sugared up on ice cream and heading towards the lockers at the station, Rory following closely behind the two women. They had started to let their guard down at the ice cream place as the treat lightened everyone’s mood considerably. Rory was never fond of talking to new people, and it often took a long time to feel comfortable around anyone. Though, somehow everything just felt natural around the pair of firefighters.

But now Rory was growing tense again. They were always uncomfortable in new settings around a ton of strangers and since the crews were switching shifts, there was a steady stream of questioning glances thrown Rory’s way. They couldn’t help but stick even closer to the pair as their mind filled with unwarranted fears. What if the redhead was going to drop them off at some shelter because everyone thought they were weird? What if she really had no intentions of keeping them safe for the next few nights? What if she decided she no longer wanted them around? As if sensing their discomfort, Bea placed a friendly arm around Rory’s shoulders, both easing their fears and making it appear as though everything was completely normal. Eventually all three of them found their way to the parking lot after collecting their things. “Hope to see you around, Rory” Franky said, placing a hand on their shoulder.

Rory let out a small smile. “Thank you for all your help today.”

“No problem kiddo. Red’ll give you my number, call if you need anything okay?”

“Okay. Thanks.” Rory couldn’t help but feel happy after what Franky had just said. It had been a wild day, and they couldn’t have imagined they’d meet such kind people because of it. They finished saying their goodbyes and finally headed in different directions.

Arriving home, Bea allowed Rory to take in their surroundings for a few moments before walking them up the driveway. As Bea opened the door to her home and waited for them to step through, Rory couldn’t stop the unexpected warmth of safety that greeted them. They let their mind jump to earlier that day when they got a similar feeling of safety while admiring the Melbourne skyline and all the possibilities it holds of the future. It all seemed so far away at the time, yet closer than what it appeared as they approached downtown towards the shelter.

Taking in the warmth, Rory had to wander if they were stepping into their own skyline as they presently embraced the security of this household.


	2. Spontaneous Wanderings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Warning: mentions of self-harm/cutting*  
> Sorry for the delay! This one's a bit longer- I had fun writing it so I hope you enjoy!

“Hey Allie, we’re home” Bea called out as she took off her coat, hanging it on the coat rack. Rory stood awkwardly as a tall blonde emerged from the corner. The woman kissed Bea briefly before turning to face them. “This is Rory” Bea introduced.

Allie took in the person in front of her. She could tell they were nervous as they shifted their weight. Bea hadn’t filled her in on this kid’s circumstances yet, but she figured it couldn’t be good as she had clearly met them while on shift. “Hi, I’m Allie” she offered a friendly smile. Rory gave a small nod.

“Right, let’s get them settled in.” Allie took note of Rory’s pronouns as Bea led everyone through to the kitchen, happy to see a pizza box on the counter. 

Allie noticed her wife eyeing the food. “I was going to cook something, but I didn’t know if they had any allergies so I was hoping pizza would be a safe option” looking over at Rory.

The blonde’s usage of “they” instantly put Rory at ease. It affirmed them in a way they hadn't been aware they needed prior to Allie making the simple effort. It was all still so surprising how everyone they’d met in these past few hours had been so kind. Tension released from their shoulders, finally encouraging them to speak. “Oh, I don’t have any allergies. I’m, uh, not very hungry, though.” 

“Are you sure” Allie questioned.

Rory suddenly felt guilty. How could they refuse after the pair had opened their home to them? “Sorry... I don’t mean to be rude. I could try-"

“Hey no worries. I wouldn't have much of an appetite either after the day you’ve had. The ice cream probably didn’t help too.” Bea could tell they were getting anxious and wanted to make them feel as comfortable as she could.

“Hold up, you got ice cream without me?” Allie pouted and bit into a slice of pizza as Bea laughed, Rory letting out a chuckle as their anxiety began to subside. 

“Sorry babe. Spur of the moment decision. It would've melted had I got you any. I’m sure we can all go out and get some another time” she added as Allie’s pout morphed into a smile when she saw Rory agreeing. Bea’s attention turned back to their new guest. “We can show you your room.”

“You two go up, I’ll be finished soon” she took another bite. Bea guided Rory upstairs and down the hall to the room. It was bigger than anything Rory ever had in the past. The room wasn’t huge or small, just a good medium between the two. On the right side of the room sat a nightstand by the bed and the left side of the room even had a corner desk with towels folded neatly on top. It had been the temporary home to many kids prior to Rory, so Bea and Allie always kept it tidy for the next. Curtains covered the window between the desk and the bed. Continuing to look over the room, Rory’s eyes lingered on the bookshelf placed against the opposite wall. Reading was always a favorite pastime, offering numerous fantasies to jump into when they couldn’t handle the weight of their own. Claiming this room, even if only for a little while, felt like such a treat to Rory. They silently hoped to stay in this sanctuary for longer than a short period of time. 

Bea pointed to the top drawer of the dresser. “There are some spare clothes in there. Don’t worry, they’re clean.” Rory nodded. “Make yourself comfortable. Then tomorrow we can go shopping for anything else you need.”

“Oh, I don’t need anything else.” They took in all the space offered in the room. “This is all plenty already.” 

Allie walked in the room joining the conversation. “Mm, we don’t know how long you’ll be staying, but it could be a while. It’s a good idea to get some things from the store. Plus it’ll be nice for us to spoil someone after Debbie went back to university.”

“Debbie?”

“Our daughter” Bea noted softly at the reminder of their Debbie. Rory just nodded in that way Bea and Allie were quickly becoming used to. “Well we’ll let you alone for the night if you’re okay with that?”

“Yeah. And thanks…” their posture straightened, “for everything.”

“No problem, Rory.” The blonde was genuinely happy to help. “Oh, and the bathroom is next door on your right. Our room is just down the hall. Don’t hesitate to come find us, or just holler if you need” Allie joked, pleased to receive a small smile in return.

Rory took off their backpack and set it on the floor next to the desk after the pair left the room. As tired as they were, they knew a shower was probably in their best interest. Walking over to the dresser, they opened the top drawer to search for clothes and eventually decided on an oversized shirt, shorts, and a tank top. Tanks were never very pleasant for Rory, they’d much rather the chest compression of their binder. But they’d been wearing one all day, consequently leaving their shoulders and ribs sore, so a tank would just have to do. 

Returning from the bathroom, they finally settled under the covers. The day's events rushed over them as they sunk into the pillow, the scent of freshly washed sheets somewhat soothed their sudden anxiety. So much had happened over the course of just a few hours. They couldn’t shake the thought that they truly lost practically all of their savings. Granted, all that loss had led them to the first place they’d felt safe in a long time. There was just something so comforting about this cozy home and the people living under its roof. The way they accepted them with ease, despite hardly knowing them. Plus, how could they hate anyone that spontaneously treated them to ice cream? But then again, who knew how long this would last? Rory was so tired of change, they longed to feel the security of permanence, of solidity. They swiped swiftly at the now free falling tears until exhaustion finally took over.

It was just after midnight when Allie checked up on Rory. Pleased to see they were soundly asleep, she joined her wife sitting in bed. “So what happened tonight?”

“We got a call to the shelter…”

“The youth shelter?” Allie was shocked. She had volunteered at the shelter countless times over the years as she was a social worker herself.

“Yeah. The whole building was in flames, there’s no way they can repair it.” She stopped to make sure her wife was okay taking in the news, continuing, “Rory came sprinting out of nowhere. I managed to get to them in time before they could go in, although they insisted on going back for their belongings. I suspect whatever they lost must’ve been really important to them, but I think that’s a conversation best saved for later. Franky and I took them out for ice cream to try to get their mind off of things for a bit. They were really fast back there though,” Bea added “might have to get that one into sports.”

“So they’ll for sure be staying with us for a long time?” The couple had been planning to end their fostering journey in a few months when their license expired. 

“Well luckily Gina was there looking for Rory. We decided they should stay with us until we figure out what’s best for them. Gina will come around tomorrow as their case worker, but yeah, right now it’s looking like they’ll be here awhile. And they are sixteen so we’ll have to get them enrolled in school. I think they just need some consistency, even if that means renewing our license.” Allie agreed and was happy to hear her long time friend’s name, although still processing the loss of the youth shelter. 

“Yeah. Seems like a good kid.” Allie knew they had to be special for her to take on this case herself as she was already working with so many.

“Mm yeah, I think so too.” Bea filled Allie in on everything else she’d learned about Rory that night and how well they got along with Franky. The pair fell asleep in each others arms a short while later.

Rory woke with a start. They had a restless night and kept waking up every few hours, but this time they couldn’t fall back asleep. Thinking back to the nightmare that frightened them awake into reality, they shuddered. The shelter was on fire, but this time they were trapped inside, the fog almost too thick to see through. They made out a shadow-like figure in the distance approaching them and assuming it was Bea, they screamed for help. Only when the figure became clear it wasn’t Bea, it was their dad. The man smiled maliciously and turned away as the flames swallowed them whole, ending the dream. Rory felt the panic slowly creeping up their throat. The dream felt so real, at first they weren’t sure if their eyes burned from the fog or the welling tears. The room was beginning to feel hot and stuffy as they repeatedly reminded themself it was only a dream. They considered going to wake Bea and Allie, but didn’t want to bother them. And it wasn’t like there was anything the pair could do to help. But they knew if they didn’t get fresh air soon they would go into a full panic attack. Quickly changing out of their tank and into their binder and throwing back on the oversized shirt, they pulled on their shoes and grabbed their water bottle. Quietly, they headed down the stairs towards the front door, closing it carefully behind as fresh air filled their lungs. 

They stood at the door for a few seconds, eyes closed, taking deep breaths until they had better control over their nerves. Rory had no idea where they were going as they started walking down the street and was relying on their memory and a bit of hope to find their way back. But retracing their steps wasn’t the most pressing thing on their mind. Right now they just needed to be moving, wherever that may lead them. 

The sun was beginning to rise as they stepped onto a trail sprinkled with aligning trees. They had no idea what time it was or exactly how long they’d been walking, but it couldn’t have been more than twenty minutes. They took their time listening to everything around them, taking a sip from their water bottle every so often. Nature’s delicate sounds never ceased to calm them. This was a common ritual for Rory especially after a bad night at home. If for some reason they couldn’t sleep or couldn’t shake the anxiety, they’d sneak out of the house bringing nothing but their water bottle. Usually they’d make sure they’re back home in time before anyone else woke up. This time, however, they let themself roam without a time limit. It felt freeing, in a way, not being on anyone else’s time. Navigating life at their own speed made them feel like less of a burden, simultaneously allowing for more agency over their own body- something they had ceaselessly searched for in the years under their father’s care, or lack thereof. Rory’s thoughts cleared as they took in the opening at the end of the trail. There was a stretch of grass and dirt mixed with sand further out. A wooden dock overlooked a large lake, surrounded by trees at its sides and broad mountains straight ahead. There was no hesitation as Rory walked up to the dock and sat down, taking off their shoes and socks, dipping their feet into the clear water. The sun rising behind the mountains was the most beautiful thing they’d witnessed in a long time.

As the sun had almost fully risen and the sky was beginning to turn more blue than yellow and orange, Rory wanted to go for a swim. They knew the lake had to be pretty safe as they had passed a sign earlier reading “Swim Zone”. Standing up, they tossed off their shirt, deciding their binder and shorts would be good enough. They took the hair band always kept from around their wrist and messily tied their hair up. They knew they’d have to deal with the tangly curls later, but figured this was worth it. Rory inhaled deeply before diving into the water, swimming back up to the surface when they felt a stinging soreness on their stomach. It was then that they remembered the fresh jagged lines recently added to their collection of scars. It stung just like it did when they got into the shower the previous night. After Bea and Allie said goodnight, they were searching through their backpack to put away their few possessions when they suddenly came across the old razor they always kept for moments like these. Moments when they felt worthless, lonely, a failure. The guilt from failing to save their possessions in the fire became overwhelming as the bad memories of everything they failed to do correctly in their life, according to their dad, flooded back. So they went to work adding wound after wound until deciding it was enough, putting the razor back into its hiding spot and heading off to the shower. 

They were doing much better now, though, as they remembered where they were. The lake was cold, but the sun’s heat balanced the change in temperature. The water wasn’t too deep either, so they felt more comfortable swimming around. Eventually they found themself floating on their back, soaking in the peaceful moment.

Life wasn’t as serene back at the house as the couple noticed they were the only two home. It was just about 6 A.M. when Allie woke up. She wasn’t in a rush to get up since it was a Saturday and both her and her wife were off work, but she was just used to getting up early. Untangling herself from her wife, she headed towards the stairs. She stopped, curiously peering into the open door and surprised to find the bed empty. She turned and noticed the bathroom door was open as well. Assuming Rory was downstairs, she went down the stairs taking in the empty living room, then headed into the kitchen. Panic rose as she checked and found every other part of the house empty, even peering into the backyard and garage. “Bea! Bea wake up, Rory’s gone!” Allie ran back into the bedroom and shook Bea awake.

“Hmm, what” the tiredness drained from her voice, replaced with urgency as she understood her wife’s panic. The two checked the whole house again before Bea got ready to leave in her car, calling a very grumpy Franky.

Franky groaned, “Oi, this better be good Red.”

“Rory’s gone missing”

“What?” That was all it took for Franky’s tone to get serious.

“We woke up and they weren’t here. Searched the whole house. Listen, Allie’s gonna stay here in case they come back while I drive around. We already called Gina, but would you mind driving around too?”

“Got it. Another pair of eyes can’t hurt. I’ll call you if I see anything.” They hung up as Bea pulled out of the driveway. 

Bea had been driving around for half an hour when she received a call from her wife. Putting her on speaker, she hoped she was about to receive some good news. “Hey, did they come back?”

“No, Gina just arrived. She took a look around Rory’s room and noticed they left their backpack.” Allie let Gina take over explaining.

“Rory loves that backpack, they wouldn’t leave it unless they know they’re not coming back.”

“I guess that’s good to hear. So then where would they be?”

“I’m not too sure exactly where they are right now, but I have noticed they like to spend time outdoors. Any scenic spots you know of nearby?”

A lightbulb went off in Bea’s head. “I actually might have an idea, yeah. Keep me updated if you hear anything.”

“Okay, you too.”

Rory had swum and floated around until their arms grew tired, at which point they retreated back to the dock, pulling their shirt back on. They considered going back, but couldn’t tear themself away from this newfound heaven just yet. And although they still had no idea what time it was, they figured it was still early-ish in the morning so hopefully Bea and Allie wouldn’t wake up for a while. 

Exhaustion from the lack of sleep and all the walking and swimming had finally caught up with Rory. They allowed themself to give into the moment and stopped fighting off yawns while they laid back onto the dock, arms crossed under their head and gazing up. Blue skies eventually darkened as sleep took over.

Bea cut the engine before getting out of the car, swiftly making her way down the path. She’d been down this trail more times than she could possibly count over the years. Swimming in the distant lake, connecting with nature, the most authentic parts of the earth, felt like home to her. Like security. Her wife was the only other that could offer such calmness and sense of belonging. The lake was Bea’s “spot”, as her wife put it. Shaking her head as the path made way to open land, she was able to make out a figure sprawled out on the dock. Her mind was racing as she ran onto the wooden structure, fearing the worst as the person, who she now recognized as Rory, didn’t appear to be moving.

She let out a breath she didn’t even notice she was holding when she realized Rory was just sleeping. They looked much more peaceful than she had seen them in the past 12 hours and she didn’t have the heart to wake them just yet. Taking a seat next to them, Bea debated what to do. She knew tough conversations were likely waiting to be had back at the house, but she was willing to prolong a little longer for Rory’s sake. It was clear they had been for a swim as their clothes, although drying from the sun, still clung to their shining skin, their thick hair glistening with buds of water. She texted Allie and Franky, letting them know Rory was safe and okay, and told her wife they shouldn’t take longer than an hour.

Rory woke to a hand lightly shaking their arm. Opening their eyes, they sat up, jumping back slightly as they were shocked at the redhead staring back at them. Oftentimes in the past, a hand shaking them awake meant for an unpleasant day. Rory quickly registered Bea wasn’t a threat, though, and it visibly calmed them.

“Hey, it’s okay, it’s okay. Not gonna hurt you.” Bea studied the teen as they nodded, slowly relaxing. She fought off the urge to pull them into a hug, wishing away whatever had caused them such fear in the past.

“Sorry. Scared me” Rory looked down for a second, getting their bearings as they recalled their whereabouts.

“Don’t worry, I get it.” She offered a reassuring smile before speaking again. “How’d you get here? Woke up and you were gone…”

“Oh, um.” Rory averted their eyes again as they spoke. “Couldn’t sleep. I just really needed some fresh air so I went on a walk and ended up here. Went for a swim and then I guess at some point I fell asleep, although I didn’t mean to.”

“Figures” Bea’s response was lighthearted, she wanted them to know she wasn’t mad. Although, she could tell it was deeper than what they were letting on. “We should probably get you back home, Gina’s there waiting.” 

Rory grew nervous then. It wasn’t that they didn’t enjoy Gina’s company, but a part of themself was really grateful to be staying with the couple, to have something close to a home for a little while. And why would Gina be there if not to take them away? They weren’t prepared for another change so soon.

Bea sensed Rory’s hesitancy as their features sprung worry written all over. “She was supposed to stop by today to check in on you, remember? But she just came earlier to make sure you’re alright. We were all pretty worried.” Relief washed over Rory, leaving an inquisitive gaze.

“We?”

“Mhm. Me, Allie, Gina, and Franky.” A smile almost escaped Rory’s lips as they thought back to the brunette they’d met the previous night. They weren’t sure if she was just being nice at the time or if she really did care to know them. Having people care about them like this was so alien, it felt quite strange.

“Oh. So how’d you find me?”

“Gina said something about how you enjoy spending time outdoors and, well, this is the closest scenic spot I could think of. I come here all the time, you know? I like to come swim or just sit and observe nature be.” Bea was practically speaking to herself as much as she was Rory. She looked around, taking in the view she’d basked in hundreds of times in the past. “This place is like my second home. Nature was my first love… don’t tell Allie, though.” Rory let out a smile as they nodded. “Speaking of which, shall we get going?”

“Yeah.” Rory slipped on their shoes. The two walked the path to the car and drove the short journey home, discussing all things nature and their collective love for swimming on the way. Bea promised she would invite Rory along on her trips to the lake from here on out. At some point they’d found themselves in a cheerful debate on whether sunrises or sunsets were better. Rory was an advocate for the former, while the redhead favored the latter. Pulling up to the house, they agreed that at some point they’d have to watch both in one night, using Allie as a judge if they couldn’t come to an agreement. 

“Why don’t you head upstairs for a shower.” Bea said after a tired Gina and Allie greeted them, thankful to see they were okay.

“Okay. It might take me awhile to wash my hair, though.”

“That’s okay” Gina chimed, “it’ll give us some time to talk.”

“We’ve got loads of hair products in the bathroom cabinets, take whatever you need” Allie added.

They did their best to suppress the questions of what the three would discuss as they headed up the stairs. Opening the cabinet, they were a little surprised to see products for all different textures of hair. But then, Rory thought, Bea and Allie had been fostering for years, so it’s not like they were the first Black kid they’d ever taken in. 

Rory stood sighing at the mirror a short while later after combing out their thick, damp curls. A frizzy mane peered back at them. They got that urge again, the one that made them want to grab the closest pair of scissors and cut inches from their hair until it was that shorter length they’d always desired. Rory had tried it once when they were much younger after coming home from school. They’d tried so hard to dress themself to look anything other than a girl that day, but some kid took one look at them and laughed, saying that they would always look like a girl because their hair was long. So at the time they thought, if cutting their hair is all it would take for people to stop thinking they were a girl, then so be it. But their dad reacted negatively; painfully, to say the least. Since then, their reason for wanting to cut their hair had thankfully shifted, now more of a need to see their true self reflected as they gazed into a mirror more so than what some eight year old boy had to say. But they never had the actual guts to do it, fearing their father’s temper too much. Even after they’d been kicked out and were on their own, the memory of what he did some eight years ago was still somehow hindering them from ever fully going through with it. Hopefully, someday they would. Maybe even some time soon. But for now they would have to replace the urge to cut their hair with skin as they reached for the blade sitting by the sink. Soon they were dressed and heading downstairs, hair pulled back into a frizzy ponytail and ignoring the small aching under their shirt.

The three adults became silent for a moment as Rory entered the living room cautiously. Making sure their presence was permitted, they took a seat across from Gina, Bea and Allie faced towards them on the sofa. They didn’t know what they had been discussing, but it seemed like it had to be serious. Rory’s nerves were building again as their mind raced for something to say, eventually blurting out an apology. “I really am sorry I left earlier, I just needed some air and-”

“You’re not in trouble, Rory” Allie assured. “Just let us know next time you wanna go out so early, yeah?” Rory nodded, though still confused. If that wasn’t the reason behind their previous clipped silence, then what could it be?

“That does bring us to wonder, though, are you still okay with staying here for the time being?”

“Yes.” Rory’s response was instant, surprising themself along with the others in the room.

“Are you sure? You can be completely honest with us.” Allie added, Bea agreeing.

“I’m sure. Haven’t been here long, but I like it. You both are really nice, too. Plus Bea said we can go to the lake sometime and watch the sunrise.”

“And the sunset” Bea laughed knowingly. She and Allie were both eminently relieved to hear Rory wanted to stay with them. While they were busy upstairs, the three women were discussing Rory’s options as far as living arrangements went, and the options were quite limited without the couple. Bea and Allie had taken a liking to the teen despite the short time they’d known each other, so had hoped they’d want to stick around.

“That’s good to hear, Rory. As long as you’re comfortable then we’ll keep you here.” They went over a few more details. Gina got up to hug each of them goodbye, telling Rory they’d call around soon to check in as she headed out.

“Well. How about I make us some breakfast and then we can head to the shops a little later?”

“Sounds good, babe. I’m gonna go take a shower.” Rory observed the couple’s clear admiration for one another, Bea kissing Allie on the cheek before disappearing from the room. In the years they remember their parents being under the same roof, they couldn’t recall a time where they’d been affectionate. 

Quickly finding themself bored alone in the living room, Rory wandered into the kitchen. “Need any help?” There was still a hint of shyness in their voice. “I’m not very skilled, but I’d love to help out.” 

Allie was happy to see Rory appear. “Yeah that would be great.” She looked around, trying to find a job for them. Pancakes were pretty easy to make, but she took this as an opportunity to get to know Rory a little better. “Okay. I’m going to give you the very important job of... cracking the eggs. Is that okay?” 

“Can’t say I’m that advanced of a chef, but I think I can try.” Rory went over to the counter, and very carefully, almost dramatically, cracked eggs into the bowl. 

Allie peered into the bowl when they finished, pleased to see it was free of egg shells. “I think you’ve got a talent for this, my friend.”

“I know right? Didn’t want to brag, but I’m glad you pointed it out.” Allie noted the debut of Rory’s humor. She was glad to see more of their personality coming out.

“Ah, modest too, always a good quality! If only my wife had such a natural talent like yours.” Just then Bea came into the kitchen, clearly having just heard the last part of their conversation.

“What? Modesty.” Bea laughed at having caught both Rory and her wife by surprise. 

“Nah you’ve got that without a doubt babe. I meant how you couldn’t crack an egg if your life depended on it.”

Bea made a face, mock offended. “You wound me! Watch me prove you wrong.” Rory stepped aside giggling with Allie in anticipation as Bea retrieved an egg and stood over the bowl. “And I’ll crack it with just _one_ hand. Watch, you’re gonna be eating your _words_ after this.” Bea hit the egg against the side of the bowl pitifully then tried and failed to maneuver the shell open without shedding any pieces. The egg slid out of her grip and plopped into the bowl along with numerous pieces of shell, the contents of the bowl splashing up. Rory and Allie had lost it by now, laughing so hard that tears were forming in their eyes. Bea couldn’t keep up her playful hurt expression for long, soon joining in on the laughter while wiping egg off of her face. 

Allie spoke first as the laughter faded. “Thank you for proving my point hun. Don’t worry, I still love you.” She picked a piece of eggshell from her wife's curls.

“Yeah well, one day I’ll get it. Rory’ll help me learn, right.”

Rory laughed again, agreeing. “Sure! I usually charge my kitchen tutoring classes by the minute, but I can make an exception.”

“Thank you, so kind of you to do so. Glad _someone_ believes in me” Bea eyed Allie with fake spite. “Right, well I did come back down here to ask if you’ve seen my black and white sweater, but I think I’ve already got my answer.” Allie smiled down at her wife’s favorite sweater she was sporting. “I expect a formal apology for both stealing my sweater and insulting my egg-cracking skills by the time I return.”

“In your dreams” Allie called after Bea before turning back to a still chuckling Rory. “I hope you enjoyed that show.”

“Oh immensely so” a wide smile still plastered on their face. The two continued to chat as they finished preparing breakfast. No apologies were made about stolen sweaters or culinary insults around the table which made for a humorous meal. Rory felt so carefree for the second, or was it third, time in the less than twenty-four hours since the fire. One of the worst events in their life had taken place not even a full day ago, yet here they were in this home, breaking down their walls just enough for their personality to poke through. They conversed with Bea and Allie easily, as if they were family. Could the fire, awful as it was, have been the greatest thing to ever happen to them? If the safety held in the company of the Novak-Smiths was anything to go by, then Rory knew the answer.

The trio found themselves back home and tired hours later. They had gone to the main shopping mall first after breakfast, knowing they’d have more items than they could find anywhere else in town. Rory was quiet for the first half hour as they walked around stores, politely declining each clothing item the couple pointed out. At some point Allie caught Rory eyeing a shirt in the men’s section. The couple had always gravitated towards the women’s section in every store thus far by nature of habit, but Rory clearly didn’t appear to be interested in feminine clothing. She scolded herself then nudged Bea to show her where Rory’s interests were. “Why don’t we go take a look over there.” 

Rory couldn’t stop the small smile escaping their lips as the blonde suggested they go in the men’s section. They were too nervous to say anything, but had always preferred more masculine clothes over feminine. The next time Allie held up a shirt, it was the one they’d been secretly looking at for a while now, but they hesitated again before speaking. They didn’t feel like they deserved any of this and didn’t want anyone wasting money over them. 

It was like she could read their mind though. “We want to buy you this. I mean, we’re gonna buy you clothes whether you deny that you want them or not, so you should probably make it easier for yourself.” 

Rory smiled and gave in. “Okay, yeah. I really like that shirt.” 

“And if there’s anything you see that you want, don’t hesitate to ask.” Bea watched as Rory thought for a moment, looked around and showed her a sweater.

“Nice, that’s what I’m talking about. Today is all about you. Anything else you see, just point it out.” They went in and out of stores after that, slowly accumulating an array of bags before leaving the mall and going deeper into town to show Rory around. They headed home after catching an early dinner filled with continuous light and fun dialogue. Rory was really enjoying their time spent with the two older women, even finding themself pretty talkative by the end of the day. 

The three headed for bed as soon as they got home after putting away all their items. They’d had an early start and were eager to properly sleep in the next morning. They agreed that if Rory needed to get some air in the middle of the night again, they wouldn’t venture too far beyond the front or back yard so there was no cause for Bea and Allie to worry over them disappearing again. What was more worrisome, however, was whatever had driven them off to the lake in the first place. They didn’t want to pry just yet though, so trusted Rory would open up more if and when they were ready to do so.

Rory didn’t realize how tired they were until their head hit the pillow, instantly grateful for the comfort of a bed. They fell into an easy sleep, yet unaware of the haunting that would soon take over their dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, comments/feedback/questions/concerns are welcome!

**Author's Note:**

> Comments/feedback/questions/concerns are welcome! This is my first fanfic so please be gentle :)


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